Method of making simulated sculpture



Sept. 18, 1962 c. w. POWELL 3,054,711

METHOD OF MAKING SIMULATED SCULPTURE Filed Ju 6' 1959 VENTOR I. CHARLES W. Pall 41.

BY M

gal?

States The present invention relates generally to a do-it-you-rself sculpture kit for hobbyists and amateur artists, and in particular to an improved method for the manufacture of a simulated sculpture and to such sculptures which find a wide variety of decorative purposes.

Of recent times there has been an ever increasing and wide spread popularity for do-it-yourself kits by which amateur artises and hobbyists create, with a minimum amount of skill and dexterity, an article which simulates a work of art. Familiar to all are kits which contain plastic parts which are assembled with the aid of an appropriate adhesive to build up a three dimensional replica of any one of a number of different articles, including for example, model airplanes, animal figures, model automobiles, famous landmarks and the like. However, such three dimensional articles are readily recognized as being created from such kits, perhaps due in part to the character of the surface and/or of the presence of the telltale joinder lines between the parts of the kit.

Broadly it is an object of the present invention to pro vide and improved do-it-yourself kit which obviates one or more of the aforesaid difiiculties and enables the hobbyist to create three dimensional works of art which have a professional appearance. Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide a simulated sculpture and improved method for the manufacture thereof by which it is possible to impart continuous and uninterrupted surface to a sculpture assembled in the first instance from multiple parts.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a simulated sculpture which has surface properties giving the sculpture the appearance of having been fabricated from the usual scultpure materials, such as wood, metal or stone.

In accordance with method aspects of the present invention a simulated sculpture may be created from a multiple part kit by first assembling and securing together the parts of the kit to form a hollow body in the outline and configuration of the sculpture followed by the coating of the body with a binder having dispersed therein finely divided particles of a surfacing material whereby a continuous and uninterrupted finish is imparted to the body. As an intermediate step, the hollow body may be filled with a weighting material (i.e. sand) such that the final piece is of a weight comparable to a scultpure fabricated in the first instance of a usual sculpturing material, such as wood, metal or stone. Advantageously the surfacing materal may be wood chips, a finely divided metal powder such as of aluminum or bronze, or a comminuted stone such as powdered marble or the like.

The simulated sculpture which may be made in ac cordance with the present invention comprises a hollow body including a plurality of body-forming parts, with means securing the parts in assembled relation. The body is formed with a filling opening for the introduction therethrough of a filling material intended to impart weight to the body, with means connected to the body for capping the filling opening. A coating of a binder having dispersed therein finely divided particles of a surface material is applied to the outer surfaces of the body providing a continuous and uninterrupted finish thereto. Advantageously, the sculpture may be given the appearance of having been fabricated of wood by incorporating wood chips into the coating; may be given the appearance of having been fabricated of metal by incorporating a atent metallic material, such as aluminum or bronze, into the coating; or may be given the apperance of having been fabricated of marble or other stone-like materials by incorporating such stone-like material into the coating.

The above brief description as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred simulated sculpture and method for its manufacture, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the several body-forming parts of a simulated sculpture demonstrating features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the part shown in perspective in FIG. l as assembled;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the lines 33 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow, showing the hollow body of the simulated sculpture as filled and capped;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the outer surfaces of the sculpture coated with a binder having dispersed therein finely divided particles of a surfacing material which provide a continuous and uninterrupted finish to the sculpture; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a simulated sculpture, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, which comprises a body 12 in the shape and configuration of the desired sculpture and a base 14 serving as a support or pedestal for the body 12. The body 12 and the base/or pedestal 14 are formed of a plurality of body-forming parts which are secured together in assembled relation. In this illustrative embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 1, the simulated sculpture is longitudinally split along a transverse medial plane extending from side to side of the sculpture and includes front half sections 12a, 14a and rear halfsections 12b, 14b of the body 12 and base 14 respectively.

As seen in FIG. 1, the bottom of the pedestal or base is provided with a bottom or base wall 16 having half sections 16a, 161) formed respectively with semi-circular openings 18a, 18b defining a filling aperture or opening 18 in the bottom or base wall 16 of the sculpture 10. Further the half sections 16a, 16b are formed about the corresponding half sections 18a, 18b of the filling aperture 18 with an annular seat 20 having respective half sections 20a, 20b. The outer diameter of the seat 20 is sub stantially equal to the diameter of a closure or plug 22 which is disposed within the seat 20- and plugs or closes the filling aperture 18 after introduction therethrough of an appropriate fill.

The front and rear half sections of the sculpture 10 are assembled by bringing the marginal edges thereof into confronting and abutting relation, with the aid of an appropriate adhesive to effect the securement of said marginal edges to each other to complete the assembly illustrated in FIG. 2. In this connection, it may be advantageous to provide small integral projections or tits 24 on the marginal edges of one half section which are engageable within corresponding shallow recesses 26 on the other half section thereof to facilitate the alignment and securement together of the corresponding half sections. In a typical illustrative embodiment, the several parts of the sculpture 10 may be made of a high impact polystyrene or similar plastic and an appropriate polystyrene cement may be used at the confronting edges for effecting the securement of the component parts. Although the illustrative embodiment shows the sculpture as being longitudinally split to provide essentially only two main parts of the subassembly, it is within the contemplation of the invention to further subdivide the sculpture as may be convenient or required in the molding thereof and/ or to further increase the complexity of the initial assembly operation.

When the assembly of the front and rear half sections is completed, a fill material, generally designated by the reference numeral 28 in FIG. 3 is introduced into the hollow body 12 and the hollow base 14 to impart weight thereto. An appropriate fill may be employed, the most convenient of which may be sand. After the fill material is introduced, and with the sculpture inverted, the cap 22 is secured on the seat 20 enclosing the aperture 18 by the use of an appropriate polystyrene cement or similar adhesive.

The outer surfaces of the sculpture 10- are coated with a plastic binder having dispersed therein finely divided particles of a surface material such as to provide a continuous and uninterrupted finish, generally designated by the reference numeral 30. Preferably the binder is a polymerized vinyl resin having a part-iculated surfacing material, such as wood, metal or stone in a liquid vehicle of a consistency such that the coating may be applied by painting with a brush to impart the desired overall finish 30 to the sculpture 10. A typical resin binder which may be employed in accordance with the present invention is a vinyl chloride-acetate copolymer containing reactive carboxyl groups of maleic acid. Such binders are available from a number of commercial sources and are sold by the Bakelite Company, a Division of Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation as Bakelite Brand Vinyl Resin VMCH for Coating, such coating-material being described in detail in Technical Release No. 12 (revised June 1956). The polymerized vinyl resin may be thinned to the desired fluidity for painting onto the outer surfaces of the plastic form, usually building up the thickness thereof anywhere from to /s of an inch, with any one of a number of synthetic organic liquids, such as ethyl butyl ketone or other solvents as described in the Technical Release. The surfacing material which is suspended in the desired concentration per unit volume of the binder may be wood chips which will give the sculpture the appearance of having been fabricated of wood; flakes of a metal such as aluminum, bronze, filings of iron or the like which will give the sculpture the appearance of having been fabricated of any one of the named metals; or finely divided stone-like material, such as marble, chalk or the like which will give the final sculpture the appearance of having been fabricated of such stone-like material.

Depending upon the type of surfacing material incorporated in the binder, it may be desirable or necessary to further finish the coated sculpture shown in FIG. 4, for example by buffing or polishing to impart a lustre to the surface when using metal for the surfacing material, or sanding when using wood for the surfacing material;

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that there is provided in accordance with the present invention an improved method of creating a simulated sculpture which results in a three-dimensional work, which for all intents and purposes will have the appearance of having been fabricated of the particular surfacing material employed in the final coating step. The initial plastic form may be molded to the form of any well known work of art or in the form of new and original sculptures. The end prodnot according to the present invention may be used merely for ornamentation or may be'used for book ends, lamp bases or the like.

A latitude of modification change and substitution is intended in the foregoing illustrative process and typical article obtainable thereby. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention as described and claimed herein.

What I claim is:

l. A method of creating a piece if simulated sculpture from a multi-part assembly of premolded plastic parts including the steps of assembling and adhering together said parts to form a plastic body in the outline and configuration of said piece, and coating said plastic body with a liquid plastic binder of a vinyl-type resin having dispersed therein finely divided particles of a surfacing material selected from the group consisting of stone, metal, and wood and in an amount sufiicient to provide a continuous and uninterrupted finish predominated by said particles to said plastic body.

2. A method of creating a piece of simulated sculpture from a multi-part assembly of premolded plastic parts including the steps of assembling and adhering together said parts to form a plastic body in the outline and configuration of said piece, filling said plastic body With a weighting material, and coating said plastic body with a liquid plastic binder of a vinyl-type resin having dispersed therein finely divided particles of a surfacing material selected from the group consisting of stone, metal, and wood and in an amount sufficient to provide a continuous and uninterrupted finish predominated by said particles to said plastic body.

3. A method of creating a piece of simulated sculpture from a multi-part assembly of premolded plastic parts including the steps of assembling and adhering together said parts to form a plastic body in the outline and configuration of said piece, coating said plastic body with a liquidplastic binder of a vinyl-type resin having dispersed rtherein finely divided particles of a surfacing material selected from the group consisting of stone, metal, and wood and in an amount sufficient to provide a continuous and uninterrupted finish predominated by said particles to said plastic body, and rubbing said finish to improve the surface properties thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,979,888 Kranz et al Nov. 6, 1934 2,554,363 Glaser et al. May 22, 1951 2,656,647 Schepp Oct. 27, 1953 2,679,569 Hall May 25, 1954 2,821,802 Glaser Feb. 4, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 147,606 Australia July 30, 1952 

1. A METHOD OF CREATING A PIECE IF SIMULATED SCULPTURE FROM A MULTI-PART ASSEMBLY OF PREMOLDED PLASTIC PARTS INCLUDING THE STEPS OF ASSEMBLING AND ADHERING TOGETHER SAID PARTS OF FORM A PLASTIC BODY IN THE OUTLINE AND CONFIGURATION OF SAID PIECE, AND COATING SAID PLASTIC BODY WITH A LIQUID PLASTIC BINDER OF A VINYL-TAPE RESIN HAVING DISPERSED THEREIN FINELY DIVIDED PARTICLES OF A SURFACING MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF STONE, METAL, AND WOOD AND IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE A CONTINUOUS AND UNINTERRUPTED FINISH PREDOMINATED BY SAID PARTICLES TO SAID PLASTIC BODY. 